Cinderella
by bekeyboo
Summary: A songfic of Steven Curtis Chapan's Cinderella. Edward's feelings about Renesmee/Nessie growing up.


_She spins and she sways to whatever song plays,_

_Without a care in the world._

_And I'm sittin' here wearin' the weight of the world on my shoulders._

I watched my daughter dance to an invisible tune in her head. Her light feet, in her small white silk slippers courtesy of Alice, danced in intricate patterns. Her soft brown curls bobbed as she danced. Her mother, my wife, Bella had put on a CD of dance music for Nessie. I watched her and wished I could be as carefree. The Volturi were out to get us because of this girl, but I couldn't develop any guilt. Any remorse. Any wish that this blue- nightgowned miracle in front of my eyes didn't exist. I loved her too much.

_It's been a long day and there's still work to do,_

_She's pulling at me saying "Dad I need you!_

_There's a ball at the castle and I've been invited and I need to practice my dancin'"_

_"Oh please, daddy, please!"_

My little Nessie suddenly pulled on my jeans, pulling me out of my thoughts of how to prepare for the Volturi. "Daddy, daddy, Mommy said that there was gonna be a ball, and there's always dancing at a ball. Jakey's taking me to it. I need to dance good. Please help me practice, Daddy!" I smiled. Her melted chocolate eyes bored into my own tawny ones. I picked up my soft, half- human daughter. We didn't really dance, but we swayed to the music that came on. Nessie broke out in a large, baby smile.

_So I will dance with Cinderella_

_While she is here in my arms_

_'Cause I know something the prince never knew_

_Oh I will dance with Cinderella_

_I don't wanna miss even one song,_

_Cuz all too soon the clock will strike midnight_

_And she'll be gone_

I loved my daughter to a fault. I knew she'd be grown in just seven and a half years, less time for her to need me. I knew exactly who she'd get together with too. Jacob. My old nemesis, my new son in law. I shook these thoughts from my head. I could think later. Now I wanted to spend time with my beloved daughter. All too soon she'll be all grown up, married away, not needing her 'daddy' anymore. I hugged Renesmee tighter, and her smile just grew as we danced, carefree, late into the night.

_She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed_

_She wants to know if I approve of the dress_

One day Nessie came home with the widest smile I've ever seen on her face. "Guess what Dad? Jake asked me to prom! Alice helped me sift through my wardrobe for this dress. Do you like it? Jake's nice don't worry," my little girl, not so little anymore, said.

"It's great hon," I told her. It was a long, strapless, ruffling chocolate dress. I knew Jacob was a nice fellow. I was supposed to be okay with my little Renesmee going off to prom. But I wasn't. Renesmee wouldn't need me anymore after this.

_She says "Dad, the prom is just one week away,_

_And I need to practice my dancin'"_

_"Oh please, daddy, please!"_

"So the prom is really soon, like one week away or something. I totally need to dance right to impress Jake. Help me Dad, please?" Nessie begged for me to help her dance. I smiled. Just like the little Nessie she once was- but with one change. I didn't have to scoop her up anymore. She put on her dance music. I swayed with my little Nessie. Ha, Jacob, I thought silently, Dad gets first dance. Nessie smiled as her high heeled shoes clacked on the floor.

_So I will dance with Cinderella_

_While she is here in my arms_

_'Cause I know something the prince never knew_

_Ohh-oh ohh-oh, I will dance with Cinderella_

_I don't wanna miss even one song,_

_Cuz all too soon the clock will strike midnight_

_And she'll be gone_

_She will be gone._

I smiled sadly back at Renesmee. She preferred Ren or Meme now that she was in high school. My little girl was growing up. Just six years ago she was born, my own little miracle. To a man as old as I, six years is a relatively short time. I knew all too soon she'd be gone, off livig her life with Jacob Black.

_Well, she came home today_

_With a ring on her hand_

_Just glowin' and tellin' us all they had planned_

Nessie came home today with a promise ring on her hand. "Alice, Jazz, Rose, Emmy, Grampa, Gramma, Daddy, Mom, guess what? Jake and I are engaged!" These words hit me like a ton of bricks. I didn't hear her glow and tell her aunts and grandmother everything her and Jacob had talked about. All I could think of was that Jacob won. First Bella, now Nessie. I stayed where I was, stricken, while the other members of my family swarmed around the youngest Cullen to congradulate her. Buzz. Time's up. She's gone.

_She says "Dad, the wedding's still six months away_

_but I need to practice my dancin'"_

_"Oh please, daddy please!"_

As I stood there, Nessie noticed I wasn't with her. She read my expression with ease. She shooed the rest of my family, giving them jobs to do, and walked over to me. "It's gonna be okay, Dad. I promise." She stroked my face. Through that touch, I saw what she was thinking about. She was remembering her entire childhood. She finally settled on the images of me and her dancing. Going back, I saw Nessie growing progressively younger, until I danced with a mere toddler in my arms. Then I saw something that wasn't a memory. It was a thought of the future. I saw her wedding as planned; me walking Nessie down the isle, me getting her second dance, she and Jacob staying near the Cullen estate. All this took a fleeting instant. She withdrew her hand from my face to wipe a tear soming out of one of her wide chocolate eyes. She extended her hand, and I grabbed it. Within moments we were dancing, Nessie in old jeans and barefoot, me in and old t- shirt and sneakers. There was no music, but we danced in perfect tune to each other.

_So I will dance with Cinderella_

_While she is here in my arms_

_'Cause I know something the prince never knew_

_Ohh-oh ohh-oh, I will dance with Cinderella_

_I don't wanna miss even one song,_

_(even one song)_

_Cuz all too soon the clock will strike midnight_

_And she'll be gone_

I knew that Nessie, my Renesmee, my beloved daughter, was engaged. At that moment, I gave that union my blessing. Any one man who gave my daughter this lightness, this joy, deserved her. We swayed and danced, and the others walked in on us. We payed them no notice. Nessie got to be a little girl again, safe with her father, and I got one last moment with my little girl before she was a woman. Bella recognized this, and sent everyone away. For a moment, or an hour, or several days, me and Nessie danced, tears in her eyes. I would have some in mine too, if I could. At the end of the dance, I swept Nessie a bow, and she brushed my face again. This time she sent me emotions, and their scenes. They were of her and Jacob. I saw them just sitting, enjoying each other's company. The emotions coming off my daughter were similar to the ones I had for Bella, but more pure, more awkward, more childlike. I felt her love radiate at him, and I saw Jacob's love for Nessie in his eyes. The final image she showed me was of us dancing when she was about seven. She felt love for me too, but far purer than her love of Jacob. She also felt safe, warm, invincible. Then her warm fingers left my face, she kissed me on the cheek, and left. I thought, "She had to go one day, and now she's gone"

**Two things:**

**1.I cried when I wrote this. Seriously, no joke. If you reveiw, please tell me if you cried, almost cried, or didn't cry. Thank you.**

**2. Flamers: I could not care less if you flamed me, but I do have one favor to ask. PM me the flame. I really like this story, so please don't dirty my review box with flames. PM me threats, saying this was junk, or even hate mail. I don't care, as long as its a PM not a review.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. Nor do I own anything in italics. That's a song I am incapable of writing. All of the normal font is MINE though.**


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